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| 2024 Senate District 38 Wrapped! It's our favorite time of the year-- the SD38 Wrapped numbers are in! As we reach the end of 2024, I want to share some highlights of my team's accomplishments this year. We are proud of all we've achieved for the residents of the 38th District this past year, and we look forward to continuing to serve you in 2025. 2024 Events Review!This year we were fortunate to hold two events for seniors - a Senior Social at the Pittsburgh Mills in Frazer Township and a Senior Fair in Ross Township! Senior Social at the Pittsburgh Mills On May23, we hosted our first Senior Social at Pittsburgh Mills Mall as a chance for our residents who are age 55+ to get together and socialize, share a meal, and learn about resources available to them. We had a great time talking with new and old neighbors and enjoying delicious treats from the culinary students at A.W. Beattie Career Center. Special thanks to Vintage Center for Active Adults for helping attendees with smartphone and tablet tech questions! This was a great event and we're already looking forward to next year! Senior Fair at the Ross Community Center A big thank you to everyone who came out to our Senior Fair with Rep. Emily Kinkead on October 17th! This annual event is one of the highlights of our year-- and I hope it's one of the highlights of yours as well! Thank you to Ross Township for hosting us, to Deniz Mediterranean Cuisine for a delicious breakfast, to Waltmire Pharmacy for providing vaccines, the PA Fish and Boat Commission for delighting everyone with their rescued iguana “Blue,” and to all of our vendors!
Good News Intern Participates in PA Mock House Committee Meeting We’re all very proud of our intern Campbell and her participation in the Pitt’s Institute of Politics Mock House Committee Meeting this past week! We’re excited that she’s extending her internship into next semester with our office and will continue to share her fresh perspective with us and the D38 community. School Counselors Association Conference Thank you to the Pennsylvania School Counselors Association (PSCA) for inviting me to speak at their annual Conference last week in Hershey. I was glad to talk about the School Counseling Services Act, legislation that will get more caring adults into our school buildings and ensure that our school counselors are spending the majority of their day focused on providing services to students.
Peebles VFC Receives $500K Grant I was proud to join Rep. Arvind Venkat at Peebles District Volunteer Fire Company to celebrate the Company receiving $500,000 in Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program funding! Peebles VFC will use the award to expand their station, creating more space for their vehicles, as well as decontamination and storage space for firefighting gear. Thank you to these volunteers who work every day to protect the McCandless community! Historically Disadvantaged Business Assistance Program Announced My staff attended the PA Historically Disadvantaged Business Assistance Program announcement at The Wilson Group in O’Hara Township on Wednesday. CEO Derrick Wilson gave everyone and the Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Rick Siger an extensive tour of the facility. This program will make $20 million available for investment in our diverse businesses and spur economic development across PA!
Legislative Update PA Senate Rules Reform As we wrap up 2024 and begin the New Year, the Senate is starting a new Session in Harrisburg, which brings another opportunity to make the legislative process more open, accessible, and bipartisan. My colleague Senator Katie Muth and I are again introducing Senate rules that would make Harrisburg work better for Pennsylvanians. First, we want to take the guesswork out of what bills are being voted on, giving people a chance to voice their opinions to their State Senator on the bills before a vote takes place. We are also introducing reforms that would ensure popular, bipartisan legislation passed by the State House receives a vote in the Senate. It should not take years for the legislature to pass common-sense solutions to address real problems that people are facing. Finally, we are working to make sure that the voices of all Pennsylvanians are heard. Currently, the majority party has sole control over what bills receive a vote both in committee and on the Senate floor. That means that Senators in the minority party, who represent 5.5 million Pennsylvanians, are unable to bring up bills for a vote. Other states have rules that allow more minority party participation which fosters bipartisanship. Changing these rules would give the 5.5 million Pennsylvanians represented by Senators in the minority party a stronger voice in Harrisburg. If you want to learn more about our rules reforms efforts, please visit my website at www.SenatorLindseyWilliams.com/rules.
News You Can Use Eligibility Expanded for $11 Retired Registration and Free Registration and Titles for Some Vets More retired Pennsylvanians are now eligible for a reduced vehicle registration fee! On Tuesday, Act 60 of 2024 went into effect, increasing the annual income eligibility limit for retired person’s registration from $19,200 to $29,906. The Act also made some Veterans eligible for free vehicle registration and titling fees. To receive reduced vehicle registration fee of $11:
For some Veterans, Act 60 also provides for the elimination of registration and title fees for one passenger vehicle or truck weighing 9,000 pounds or less. To qualify, military Veterans must meet the following requirements (license plate fees still apply):
For more information about driver licensing and vehicle services for veterans, visit PennDOT’s driver and vehicle services website. 2025 PA
Farm Show in Harrisburg The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture's 2025 Farm Show is just two weeks away! Head to Harrisburg to discover what makes Pennsylvania agriculture exceptional. From potatoes, flowers, hemp, and cows, to honey production from urban rooftops and basil grown in vertical farms inside repurposed warehouses—there’s something for everyone. Explore family-owned craft breweries, four-star farm-to-table restaurants, wines, riding stables, creameries, and cultivated Christmas trees. You can also learn how Pennsylvania is connecting farmers with funding, technology, and know-how to innovate, thrive and continue leading the nation and the world. You’ll see up-close why Pennsylvania is at the forefront of organic agriculture, conservation, young farmers, and so much more. Hours for the 2025 show are January 4-11 from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily except
Admission is free. Parking is $15 per vehicle. Don’t miss your chance to experience PA agriculture up close and meet the hardworking farmers who make it all happen! For more information go to 2025 PA Farm Show | Pennsylvania Farm Show | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. For the daily schedule of events go to: Schedule of Events | Pennsylvania Farm Show | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Property Tax Rent Rebate Deadline is December 31st! The deadline for older adults and Pennsylvania residents with disabilities to apply for rebates on rent and property taxes paid last year is a week away on Tuesday, December 31! The SD38 team is here to answer your questions, review the documents you need, and help you apply for your rebate but will be limited to the following schedule over the holidays:
Remember, this program was recently expanded so that thousands more Pennsylvanians are eligible. Learn more or apply online https://mypath.pa.gov/. Try a First Day Hike on New Year's Day! Mark your calendar for Wednesday, January 1, 2025, to experience a First Day Hike at a Pennsylvania state park or forest near you! These hikes are the perfect way to start the year by immersing yourself in Pennsylvania’s natural spaces. A complete list of these guided family-friendly hikes is below but note there is one right here in Pittsburgh at Point State Park!
For the complete schedule of First Day Hikes and to register go to Events - DCNR Calendar of Events. “I Voted!” Sticker Contest Calling all Allegheny County 9th-12th graders! Get ready to show off your art skills and hype up the democratic process. The Allegheny County Government Elections Division is hosting their first ever "I Voted" Sticker Design Contest. The winning design will be printed and given to voters in the 2025 Primary and General Elections! All entries must be submitted electronically no later than Friday, December 31, 2024, at 11:59 pm. Designs must contain the phrase “I Voted” on a 2-inch circular design, be nonpartisan, and must not include copyright images or trademarks. Students under 18 must have a parent or guardian’s consent. For more information and to enter go to: "I Voted" Sticker Contest - Allegheny County, PA. Your Input on Housing in PA is Needed! The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) is developing a Housing Action Plan to address housing affordability and availability in Pennsylvania. They want to hear from you! We strongly encourage people in all different housing situations, as well as those experiencing homelessness, to share their thoughts on DCED’s new housing survey. Your thoughts and feedback will be used to better address the housing affordability and availability challenges Pennsylvania faces. To participate in the survey go to: Pennsylvania Housing Action Plan Survey.
Mental Health Resources from PEMA The holidays are tough for so many of us. Don’t suffer in silence, call one of the mental health support lines from the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA). Help is available! Holiday Office Hours Happiest of holidays -- My District & Harrisburg Offices will be closed Tuesday, December 24, Wednesday 25, and Wednesday, January 1. We will be closed for walk-in visits on December 23 and from December 26 through December 31, as limited staff will be working remotely. As 2024 winds down, I'm grateful for my hardworking staff who've assisted thousands of constituents this year! As always, please feel free to reach out with any questions you may have by phone at 412-364-0469 (Ross Office), 724-224-2131 (Harrison Office) or by email at [email protected]. My staff will return your call/email within 24 hours (Monday-Friday). |
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